At Always
by Vanessa Cleveland
Summary: [One-shot] Aristotle questions his students about youth. Alexander and Hephaistion wonder about their own youth and future, and discover something more. Rated for Slash.


At Always

**A/N**: I saw Alexander yesterday. I fell in love with it. I fell in love with Hephaistion and Alexander, too. This is the product of insomnia. I simply cannot fall asleep without writing something before… I don't know why.

Hope you guys like it!

**Disclaimer**: Alexander and all of its related titles is property of Oliver Stone and Warner Brothers.

The old man began to circle his students, stroking his grey beard wisely and carefully.

"Ah, to be young," he began. "Not an adult, but not a child, either."

He took a pause, and abruptly stopped walking. "Tell me, my students. Do you enjoy it?"

Silence.

"Alexander. Tell me, wise prince. Do you value your youth?" He approached the brazen boy. The teacher's hand reached for the boy's chin; a signal for an answer.

The man's eyebrows rose, as he gave a thoughtful "Hmm?"

"The Fountain of Youth is one thing that man seeks throughout a lifetime. This is because he is a fool; one who did not savor the fruits of youthful adulthood," the young boy replied after a short pause.

"Ah! What a wise answer, my young boy." Aristotle beamed at the boy, rewarding him with the oh-so-sweet pride given to a pupil by his teacher.

"Hephaistion!" The boy's head, adorned with unusually long brown locks, jolted up from its bowed position.

The young boy's hand swept to his head; knocking his hair out of his face.

"I… agree with Alexander."

At the mention of his name, the heir's head rose to meet his friend's. They both held them there for a second, a second long enough to get a certain point across.

"A man's youth is a time of self-discovery. If his discovery is not fulfilled in that…" He paused, for a loss of words. His hands fidgeted in frustration before the words came to him. "…that _time _you get to do it. He tries to… get his time back. The joys, the pleasures of being young are treasures he seeks."

More silence. Hephaistion's words had stolen away the ones in everyone else's mind. It seemed to Alexander that the words had been taken out of his very mind.

At this, he was astonished.

-xxx-

"Those words you spoke were gorgeous, My Lord."

Alexander stopped walking along the dirt path they had been walking along for sometime. Hephaistion halted at once, his facial expression questioning the prince.

"Why do you call me 'My Lord', Hephaistion?"

"I thought it was your wish, My Lord," he replied, confused.

"For a commoner, a citizen of my father's empire, yes." Alexander moved closer to his questioner, his voice carrying to a whisper.

"But for you, I am not your Lord." Alexander's hand took Hephaistion's, and his other cupped the boy's pale cheek. "I am just simply yours."

Hephaistion smiled at this, his smile shining through the hair handing in his gorgeous face. He took Alexander's hand enclosed around his own with his free one. The boy lifted the prince's hand to his lips, and lightly kissed it.

"That is the one shining quality I love about you, Alexander. You are the son of one of the greatest rulers in the world, but yet you have no arrogance." He turned his face to look at the setting sun. "I've always admired that," he finished, bringing his face back to see Alexander's.

Alexander's eyes lit up at the mention of the delicate word 'love'.

"We will grow into men together, Hephaistion. We will both marry and raise our children together." He paused, like he always did to add a certain dramatic effect. "We will _die _together, Hephaistion."

The boy smiled even more at this. "You will become the most powerful ruler of all, Alexander. And I will be by your side _always._"

Their hands had not untangled, if anything they were holding on tighter. Although Alexander's free hand had moved from Hephaistion's cheek to the nape of his neck.

"Always?" Alexander asked, defiant tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"Always, My…" Hephaistion stopped in hesitation.

"My Alexander."


End file.
